Cellular dam.



G. BLAAUW.

CELLULAR DAM.

APPLIGATION FILED MAB. 2e, 1913.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-,SHEET 1.

ATTORNEYS G. BLAAUW. CELLULAR DAM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1913.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- N BY @M ATTORNEYS GEERT BLAAUW', OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

CELLULAR DAM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Non. 4, 1913.

Application filed March 26, 1913. Serial No. 756,872.

To all whom 'if may concern:

Be it known that I, GEERT BLAAUW, a' citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Cellular Dams, ot 'which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dam constructions, my more particular purpose being to produce a dam having a Wall containing cells which are adapted to be maintained empty or tilled with Water, asthe casemay be, the purpose, of the cellular construction being to save concrete or analogous building material employed, and at thesame time virtually confer increased Weight for a given quantity of the material.

More particularly stated, I provide a dam having a cellular or honey-comb structure,

' and in which the cells are of different lengths and controllable to some extentindependehtly of each other, each cell having the double purpose of enabling Water to be `contained within the dam for the purpose of weighting the same down and of enabling a dam of large size to be constructed with a comparatively small quantity of thema-v terial employed.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specifica` tion, and in which like letters indicate like parts.

Figure l is a vertical section through the dam on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow that is, the Section coinciding with the length 'of the stream. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the dam as it appears to a person standing at,y

the right of Fig. 1.`

The body portion of wall of the dam is shown at, the body ofl Water obstructed by the dam at 4, and the down-stream water at 5. The dam is provided with a number of compartments 6; 7 8, 9, the compartment 6 being in this instance spherical, while the compartments 7 8, 9, extend longitudinally in the general direction of the length of the stream, the compartments 7, 8, 9 being of different lengths, the longest being disposed at the bottom. The compartments 6, 7, 8, are cylindrical in cross section, that is, as viewed according to Fig. 2 and as indicated by dotted lines in said figure. They compartments 9 are. open at the bottom and have each the general form of an archway,

from the 11p-stream side of the dam. Thesepipes may, if desired, be provided with valves 13 for the purpose of admitting water to the compartments, these valves being locatedvwithin the cross tunnels 10. Drain pipes 14 located upon the down-stream side of the dam and embedded in the material thereof, are provided for the purpose of 4emptying the compartments, and of draining them when they are practically empty.

Overflow openings are provided at 15 and are used for the purpose of discharging excess of Water and preventing excessive hydrostatic pressure from developing within the compartments. IfV desired, valves 16 are inserted in the pipes 14 in order to cnable these pipes to be closed. The valves 16 are located Within the cross tunnels 11. The compartments!) are each provided with a comparatively large opening, 17, these openings being practically archways. ,i

As may seen from the foregoing description, the improved dam has a cellular or honey-comb structure, and owing to the form of the compartments or cells, is of great strength for a given amount of Weight. To state the same thing another Way, the dam can be made of large size with a comparatively limited amount ot' concrete or analogous building material. Owing to the cellular` character of the construction, the dam, when empty, is much lighter than would be the case with a dam'of the same size' and having no cells. In instances Where it is desirable for the dam to have consider-v able weight, the cells, or so many of them as may be desired, are illed with Water. No

undue hydrostatic pressure can develop inv any of the compartments for the reason that the Water can overovv through the openings 15.

The; cross tunnels 10, 11, are not in every` instance essential, but when employed they' carry forward the idea of the cellular construction. That is to sav, to the extent that the cross-tunnels l0 affect the quantity of material `employed in building the dam, to

that extent they render tbe construction eellular, in addition to promoting accessibility to the lling pipes and the drain pipes.

do not limit myself to the use of valves for controlling' tlie iilling pipes and the drain pipes, nor to any precise outward form to be given to the dam. Neither do l limit myself to any particular materials to be employed in the construction of the dam., although for this purpose l prefer to use conn crete. With concrete, the saving' eiected can be as mucb as forty per cent. of the material.

I claim v l. A dam comprising a body portion provided With cells for the purpose of saving material employed in constructiom' said cells being superposed one over another.

2. A dam comprising a body portion provided With cells superposed one over another and means'for introducing Water into said cells for the purpose of weighting the dam down.

3. A dam comprising a body member provided With cells, means for introducing Water into said cells for the purpose of weighting the dam, and means-for emptying said cells. l

4., A dam comprising abody member provided With cells, means /t'or introducing Water into said cells for the purpose of weighting said dam., and means for emptying said Water, said body member being provided noemer with overdovv openings for preventing excessive hydrostatic pressure from developing Within said cells.

5. A. dam construction comprising a body member for obstructing and deepening a body of Water, said body member being provided with cells of different lengthss the longest of said cells being located Within the bottom portion of said body member and shorter cells being located above said longest cel s.

6. A dam comprising a body member for obstructing a stream of Water, said body member being provided with cells having bemispherical ends in order to promote strength of said body member, and means for filling said cells with Water.,

7. A. dam comprising a body member for obstructing n. stream of Water` said body member being provided with elongated cells and further provided with cross tunnels extending in a direction crossing the general length of said cells.

8. A dam comprising a body member for obstructing Water of a stream, said body member being provided with cells and with means for filling the same with water, and cross tunnels extending in a direction crossing said cells.

GEERT BLAAUV Witnesses ROY E. WARD, E. C. ALFORD., 

